He nodded, and I slipped into the hole. Within moments, the only source of light was the gentle, mossy glow of my magic. The air was thick and stale, as though it had sat untouched for a long time before today.
Pushing my pack in front of me, I slowly inched my way down. My daggers dug into my thighs, pressing into my skin hard to leave bruises. I didn’t know how Xander had made his way through this tight space with his sword. I was much smaller than him, and I could barely breathe.
And then it happened.
I was barely around the first corner when the green ribbon suddenly flashed before disappearing completely. The bond went silent, and I gasped. Emptiness filled me, and my heart thundered.
Shit.
My breath came quickly as I looked around. What happened? I reached inside myself, but the well of magic was… gone.
Why?
I looked up.
Black, shimmering rocks surrounded me.
Prohiberis.
A shudder ran through me at the sight of the magic-blocking substance. No wonder I hadn’t been able to feel Xander’s connection.
Quickly, I moved away from the obsidian stones that stole power and rendered us as helpless as beings who had been born Without. My knees hurt as I crawled with little care to where my legs landed, but it was worth it to get away from the substance of my nightmares.
Eventually, magic thrummed in my veins once more. The feeling was so welcome, I nearly sobbed in relief. The moment it was back, I let a ribbon slip out of my palm, and it slithered into the mountain.
A deep, ancient song reached me. It was far older than the earth’s melody had been in the forest near Nonna’s home.
We see you, High Lady of Life, a booming voice rumbled in my mind.It has been many years since a daughter of the earth has touched this place. You are welcome here.
A warm breeze blew past me. I did not know where it came from, but it brought a smile to my face. Shuffling through the tunnel, I let green ribbons flow from my palms freely.
They sunk into the rocks, and that voice returned.Thank you.
Who knew mountains could speak? The wind brushed up against me in a caress.
I crawled through three more dead spots where prohiberis lined the walls. Each time, my movements grew more hurried. When a tiny pinprick of glowing light appeared in my vision, I was ready to be out of here for good.
“Thank Thelrena,” I muttered as the exit came into view.
Giving my pack one final push, it fell to the ground with athump.
“I’ve got you, Aileana.” Xander reached into the tunnel, his hands landing around my waist as he hoisted me out. The moment my feet touched the ground, he called out, “It’s safe to come down, Daegal!”
“On it!” was the Fortune Elf’s faint reply.
Xander’s hands remained on my hips, and he rested his chin on top of my head as he turned me around, holding my back to his front. “Take a look at this.”
My breath caught in my throat. Xander was right; it truly was a sight to behold. Like Vlarone, the interior of this mountain was hollow. Unlike the capital city, however, this one was abandoned. Now the stale air made sense. Life hadn’t been in this place for many years.
Not only that, but it was enormous. I started counting the buildings, but I gave up at fifty. There must have been hundreds of them, stretching as far as my eyes could see. This place made the small city of Thyr look like a village. Large structures spanning multiple stories climbed towards the cavernous roof, while other, smaller ones sat stoutly between them. Courtyards were connected by cobblestone streets, cracked and worn with age.
The sun did not exist here. Glowing clusters of mushrooms grew sporadically throughout the city, casting a colorful glow that felt out of place with the cold gloom. They were far too happy for a place like this, far too alive for this tomb of a city.
There was no room for the dragon here, either. Gargantuan shards of rocks hung haphazardly from the cavernous roof, low enough that flying would be dangerous.
This was definitely not great.
A frigid wind blew by, and goosebumps erupted on my arms. Shivering, I wrapped my arms around myself. The atmosphere felt off. My skin crawled, and I shivered. The air was heavy and cold, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched.